Vegan Cheeses: 3 Good Reasons to Adopt Them - Plant Ahead (2024)

FAQs

Vegan Cheeses: 3 Good Reasons to Adopt Them - Plant Ahead? ›

Containing oilseed and plant milk, vegan cheeses are rich in minerals (magnesium) and antioxidants, and they possess anti-inflammatory properties, all of which protect against damage caused by free radicals. Vegan cheese are also very good for intestinal flora and digestion.

Benefits of vegan cheese

They contain natural, high-quality fats and proteins. They don't contain colorants or chemicals. They provide microorganisms that are beneficial for intestinal flora. They're free of hormones.

The environmental cost of vegan cheese is not clear, but nuts and soya milk or tofu, common vegan cheese ingredients, have a lower carbon footprint than dairy cheese.

Many plant-based products, including vegan cheeses, are made with processed & artificial ingredients, as well as oils. Some of the non-dairy options on the market are pretty much just flavored oils mixed with artificial ingredients to thicken it up.

Vegan Cheese Market: The market size is projected to be valued at US$ 3.313. 98 million in 2023 and is expected to rise to US$ 8,064.01 million by 2033. Cheese Market: The market is expected to increase from US$ 95.0 billion in 2023 to US$ 160.0 billion by 2033, at a 5.4% CAGR from 2023 to 2033.

If you remember, vegan cheeses are made with ingredients like soy, oats, nuts, and oil. These ingredients, apart from oil, are usually low in calories, cholesterol, and saturated fat compared to regular cheese. Plus they're naturally healthier ingredients!

If you're avoiding regular cheese because of the saturated fat, you may not need to. Recent research shows cheese may actually be good for your health and reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Vegan cheeses are typically lower in fat, protein and calcium than regular cheese and are likely gluten-free.

Evidence shows that vegan diets tend to have far lower carbon, water and ecological footprints than those of meat- or fish-eaters. One Italian study found two vegan participants with extremely high eco-impacts, but this turned out to be because they only ate fruit.

Soft cheese and plant-based alternatives generally have a smaller carbon footprint than hard cheeses. Hard cheese usually requires more milk than soft, which means higher emissions associated with livestock and farming. Hard cheeses are also usually cooked and aged for longer.

Vegetarian and vegan diets can be healthy, but they can lack certain nutrients. You may have to use a little creativity to ensure you get enough protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12. You can find many of these nutrients in eggs and dairy if you're vegetarian, and from plant sources if you're vegan.

Does vegan cheese taste good? ›

It's important to understand that vegan cheese, being made with different ingredients, typically does not taste exactly like traditional dairy cheese. However, it does replicate some of the flavors and textures that you might remember from dairy cheese and tastes great in its own right.

On the other hand, vegans avoid all animal products or animal byproducts, including dairy and milk. Because most cheese is made from cow's or goat's milk, most types are not vegan-friendly. Most vegetarians avoid products that require the slaughter of an animal.

Look no further than vegan cheese! Not only is it a delicious and nutritious option, but it's also a sustainable choice that's better for the planet.

Vegan cheese is not a new invention. The first case of vegan cheese dates back to 1910 in France. Li Yu-ying (the founder of Tofu Manufacturing Co.) created a commercial dairy-free cheese made from fermented soy.

Cheese and other dairy products contain a protein called casein, which breaks down into compounds called casomorphins when digested. Casomorphins can attach themselves to dopamine receptors in the brain, which then releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in feelings of pleasure and reward.

The dietary fiber and polyphenols in whole plant foods are known to reduce gut inflammation, so a plant-based diet based on whole foods that includes moderate amounts of vegan cheese will likely be overwhelmingly anti-inflammatory.

Labeling of vegan cheese, like other vegan dairy analogues, is controversial, with dairy industry groups pushing to prohibit the use of terms like "cheese" on non-dairy products. Labeling purely plant-based products as "cheese" is prohibited in the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.

Some vegan cheeses come packaged in paper which is not air tight or sealed in any way. When we have these cheeses, they do not last anywhere near as long in a fridge or outside of the fridge because the ambient air around them can come in to contact with the actual cheese.